2018 race for governor begins to take shape

About a million more trips were made to New Mexico in 2016 than the previous year, breaking another tourism record for the state, Gov. Susana Martinez announced Wednesday.
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State Sen. Joseph Cervantes, of Las Cruces, walks to the podium in the Ventana room at the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum, where he announced he is running for governor of New Mexico, Wednesday, July 5, 2017(Photo: Josh Bachman/Sun-News)Buy Photo

LAS CRUCES - In July 2009, Susana Martinez reserved the large back room at Roberto’s Restaurant to launch what would be a successful bid, first for the Republican nomination and then for governor. Wednesday evening, longtime state Senator Joseph Cervantes launched his bid to replace her, also in Las Cruces, from the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum.

Martinez was one of five Republicans running in a race where the early favorite was thought to be Allen Weh, a former state party chairman from Albuquerque. Cervantes is one of four Democrats so far running in a race where the early favorite is thought to be Michelle Lujan Grisham, a four-term U.S. congresswoman who is giving up her seat to run for governor. Others in the race are Jeff Apodaca and Peter DeBenedittis.

Another current member of Congress could be awaiting the winner. U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce, a Republican, is considering also giving up his seat in Congress in run for governor, and is expected to make a decision soon.

Why now?

Cervantes may be running from the same hometown as the current governor, but the similarities end there. In fact, he said the failures of the current administration are “the strongest motivator of all” in his decision to run now.

When the 2017 legislative session began, Cervantes was selected by fellow Democrats to give the rebuttal to the State of the State address delivered earlier that day by Martinez.

“The state of our state is unacceptable,” he declared.

A state senator since 2012, a member of the Legislature since 2002 and a one-time candidate for U.S. Congress, Cervantes said he made the decision to run for governor this year because of the problems that he said have been created in the last eight years under the Martinez administration.

“It’s become abundantly clear that the current administration intends to leave most of the state’s problems exactly as she found them,” he said. “They have made absolutely no progress building the economy, creating jobs and educating our school children. In addition, our state budget is effectively insolvent in the absence of reliable revenue.

“So, given the need for our state to come out of the deplorable condition in almost all areas, I wanted to make that change. And, I’m confident that I can do so.”

Because his Senate seat is not up for re-election until 2020, Cervantes would be able to retain that seat if her were to lose the election.

Lujan-Grisham announced in December that she would give up her House seat to run for governor. In a video announcement, she touts her family’s deep roots in the state and experience as both a state cabinet secretary and a member of Congress.

The early start has allowed Lujan-Grisham to rack up endorsements from big-name Democrats including U.S. Sen. Jeff Bingaman and Attorney General Hector Balderas. But Cervantes said there will be plenty of time for him to make up ground.

He noted that he won re-election to his Senate seat in November, and said he didn’t feel it would have been appropriate to immediately begin running for another office.

“I thought it was important to take the office I was elected to and do that work for a while before announcing for a new position,” he said. “There are 11 months between now and the primary election. Running full-time is one of the problems in our current political climate.

“We’ll be able to raise the money that’s needed, although one thing I’ve learned is there is very little correlation between fundraising skills and governing and leadership,” he added, noting that Martinez had set a state record in fundraising.

Jeff Apodaca is the son of former governor Jerry Apodaca. But he is making his first run for public office. DeBenedittis, an alcohol-prevention teacher from Santa Fe, is also making his first run for public office.

Waiting for Pearce

The field is still clear on the Republican side, where everybody seems to be waiting for Pearce to make his decision.

Pearce announced in May that he was meeting with community leaders throughout the state and was mulling a run for governor. His spokesperson, Kelley Christensen, indicated last week that a decision would likely be coming soon.

“He has been listening to communities in New Mexico to decide where he can serve best for a stronger state,” Christensen said.

Four Democrats have already announced their intentions to enter the race for the 2nd Congressional District seat, whether Pearce is in the race of not. David Baake, a Harvard Law School graduate who previously worked for the Natural Resources Defense Council; Tony Martinez, head of the local Indivisible public advocacy group; Ronald Fitzherbert, a Las Cruces resident who has been involved in several community groups; and Madeleine Hildebrandt, a Coast Guard veteran and college history instructor from Socorro, are all seeking the seat in Congress that Pearce has held since 2003, with the exception of one term when he ran unsuccessfully for the Senate.

The race in New Mexico’s 1st District is even more crowded, with seven Democrats currently vying for the seat being vacated by Lujan-Grisham.